All the hopes of the purchasers of Old Louisiana and of its flag-planters have come true, and, with them, dreams the most feverish brain of that day could not fashion. History has repeated itself significantly as our standard-bearers have gone westward. When the old Northwest was carved out of a wilderness, there was no fear in the hearts of our forefathers that was not felt when Louisiana was purchased. The great fear in each case was the same--the British at the north and the Spaniard at the south. And in each case the leaven of the East was potent to leaven the whole lump. Great responsibilities steady nations as well as men; the very fact of a spreading frontier and a widening sphere of influence--bringing alarm to some and fear to many--was of appealing force throughout a century to the conscience and honor of American statesmen. As, in the dark days of the Revolution, the wary Washington determined, in case of defeat, to lead the fragment of his armies across the Alleghanies and fight the battles over again in the Ohio Basin, where he knew the pioneers would forever keep pure the spirit of independence, so men in later years have looked confidently to the Greater West, to the Mississippi Basin and old Louisiana, for as pure a patriotism (though it might appear at times in a rough guise) as ever was breathed at Plymouth Rock. FOOTNOTE: [4] Theodore Roosevelt, "The Winning of the West," IV, 337, 338. CHAPTER XI _Fur Trade the Leading Business in the Northwest.--Rise of the Astor Family.--The U. S. Government fails as a Rival of the Northwest Company of Montreal, in the Fur Trade.--John Jacob Astor sees the Possibilities of the American Fur Trade.--He ships Furs from Montreal to London.--Irving's Opinion of Astor.--Astor plans to establish a Line of Trading-posts up the Missouri and down the Columbia.--The Scheme a Failure, but indirectly Valuable.--Astor's Enterprise helpful toward the Americanization of Louisiana.--He establishes the Pacific Fur Company, 1810.--This Company and the Northwest Company both seeking to occupy the Mouth of the Columbia; the Former arrives First.--In the War of 1812 the British take Possession of the Place.--Benefits to America from Astor's Example.--Like him, some Other Promoters failed to achieve the Particular Ends in View._ ASTOR: THE PROMOTER OF ASTORIA [Illustration] THE brave explorations of Lewis and Clark and Pike opened up the vast Territory of Louisiana for occupation and commerce. The one great business in the Northwest had been the fur trade, and for a long period it was yet to be the absorbing theme of promoters and capitalists, the source of great rivalries, great disappointments, and great fortunes.